My Destiny
by Straw-hat-Writer
Summary: AU. Having her destiny chosen and without her knowing, Kanashimi isn't your ordinary princess. After many years from the day those words were said, she'll find a way to her own destiny. OCxLuffy and maybe more.
1. Chapter 1

**New Story I was messing around with lately. I've written some other chapters, but dunno if i'll post them. Whatever feedback I get here will tell me If I should keep going or not. So, R&R please. **

**Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, But I do own the OCs. **

**" "- Dialogue**

**' '- Thoughts**

**_Flashback (or depending on situation)_**

**OoOo- Scene Change**

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Chapter 1

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom by the name of Raphtel. It was ruled by a kind royal family living in the castle in the center of the kingdom. In that castle, there lived King Sagishi, Queen Jibou, and their only daughter, Princess Kanashimi. When she was 2 years old, a prophet had said:

_"When the day of crowning is upon us,_

_We'll all be filled with glee._

_But one after one, she must send them away,_

_Crawling, crawling on their knees. _

_She simply cannot choose from any gent;_

_All her years will be for naught._

_He who desires her most will take her hand,_

_The one she longs… just can't be sought."_

"Be gone!" ordered King Sagishi before the prophet had said anymore. He showed himself out as the king comforted the shaken Queen. She looked up at him, and then at they're young child. Luckily, she had been asleep during the confrontation.

"Do not fret, my dear. This will not be her destiny," assured the king as he stroked the red and black hair of his child. "We must promise to never tell her." The queen nodded as the soft tears flowed down her face.

OoOoO15 years later…OoOoO

'It's such a nice day,' thought the young maiden out in the garden of the castle. She bent down and felt the smoothness of the leaves belonging to a white rose. The young mistress was now 17 and the time was near to take the throne. Just the thought of it saddened her. The soft song of the birds filled the air, for a short while that is.

"Milady! Are you out here?! Your parents call for you!" called a peculiar sounding voice. It was high pitched, but stern sounding. The maiden sighed and turned around, her dress flowing swiftly with the movement. Out appeared a skinny looking man, wearing simple clothes, but finer than those of a peasant's.

"What is it this time, Kiplin?" The young man bowed first before answering.

"The King and Queen request your presence for an important decision." She sighed once again, and followed him back to the castle. As she entered the doorway, the knights standing guard bowed respectively, followed by the hundreds of servants working in the castle. The young maiden's expression unchanged, she continued walking towards her parents.

"There she is!" called Queen Jibou. A young man, probably another prince, turned around to look at her. He was handsome and dashing, but the princess had no change of emotion. He bowed holding out his hand. She placed hers into his and he gave it a delicate kiss.

"My, My! What a gentleman he is," remarked King Sagishi. The princess simply rolled her eyes and pulled the prince up to look at her.

"I'm very sorry for this inconvenience, but I will not accept any proposal you have for me. Please leave this instant." He bowed respectively and was escorted by one of the knights. The queen, exasperated, stood up and faced her daughter.

"You didn't even give him a chance to say a word!" she said. The young woman gestured to one of the servants and they brought her a chair. She sat down and with her ankles crossed properly over each other.

"You know what I would've said the moment you asked that prince to come visit me. He probably knew too." The queen sighed, knowing she was right, and retired to her seat. A servant offered her some tea, but was waved away.

"Why won't you accept any of the princes we've chosen for you?" she asked, exhausted by yet another attempt to make the princess marry someone.

"How many times must I tell you? Love is not meant to be rushed," answered the young woman. The king sat forward and rested one hand on his knee. He heaved a sigh before beginning.

"You know that the kingdom won't last unless you are married and rightfully crowned," her father reminded. She sighed once again, and nodded.

"Why couldn't you have had a boy instead?" she questioned quietly to herself.

"Yes. Why couldn't have we…" he agreed under his breath. The queen shot him an annoyed glance, and turned back to her daughter.

"What is it that keeps you from choosing a husband?" she asked.

"A love is built from bond, and a bond takes time."

"Which we're running out of!" interrupted the queen. "In a year, you'll have to take the thrown, and without a husband, the kingdom will be left without a ruler!" The princess stood up and faced her mother.

"How can I rule knowing my love is a lie? Other princesses would gladly take someone they know nothing about just to save their kingdom. I'm not trying to sound selfish, but I'd rather rule happily alone than sadly with a lie. I want to love for happiness, not duty." The queen shook her head, and looked down, ashamed of what she constantly does. The princess hugged her mother, then her father and stood in front of them both. "Just be patient." They nodded and she left the throne room. They knew it was hard to do this, but they had no choice.

"You turned another one down, eh?" asked a knight that was a close friend to Princess Kanashimi. She nodded at the blonde haired knight, and the both of them went to her room. She walked with a straight back and looked ahead, her eyes slightly narrowed. The knight watched her worried; he also knew of what the prophet said. Why, he was standing outside the door listening!

"Don't worry, Sanji. I'll marry someone soon enough, just not now. This kingdom will live on," she said aloud, as if she read his thoughts. He smiled at her, blushing a little from worrying too much. He had known her since they were young children because his mentor, Zeff, is the royal chef. He planned on being a cook, but the king had made him a knight to protect Kanashimi. He didn't mind, though. He could've changed his mind anytime, but he never did.

They reached her room, and he opened the door for her. Her room was so vast, it took some time to try and look at everything in it. Her windows were tall, wide, and draped with curtains the color of red wine. Her bed was large enough to fit 20 full grown men onto it without any of them touching which always confused Kanashimi. The curtains on it were much thinner and looked transparent. He leaned on the edge of the window looking out of it.

"I really wonder why my parents continue to push this fact into my mind. I already know what I have to do," she remarked, disappearing into a changing room. He glanced back at the closed door, and frowned. He really wished he could tell her, but he had sworn to her parents he wouldn't, just as he had sworn to protect her. Turning to the window and opening it, he pulled out a thin cigar, lit it, and took a puff. The cloud of smoke flew out and vanished with the breeze.

The door opened and she came out in a peasant's attire. Her expression was brighter than before, even after the talk with her parents. Also, she wasn't under the constant constriction of her dress. She gestured to him, and the two left through a secret entrance that had a trail that snaked to the nearby town.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOo

"Good Morning, Oujosama!" cried a young girl holding a toy bunny. Kanashimi crouched down on one knee and patted her head, smiling.

"Please, call me Kana," she insisted. The young girl laughed and called her name out with a giggle. A woman hurried over and gently pulled her away, apologizing to Kana. Sanji helped her up, and she dusted off her clothes while saying, "It's no problem. I was just getting to know my new friend." She smiled again at the young girl. "Have a good day," she added with a wave.

"Have a good day, Kana-san!" the little girl cried, waving back. They continued deeper into town where the crowds were and they made room for her to get through. As they continued down a rock-paved road, a young man wearing a straw hat bumped into Kana, making her fall to the ground.

"Kana! You ok?" asked Sanji, who turned his attention away from the young maidens waving at him. "Hey, you-"

"No," she interrupted. She looked back, seeing him walk dazedly and with his hands in the pockets of his tunic. 'He didn't even look back,' she thought. She was helped up once again and the two continued on, Kana's thoughts still wandering.

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**Well... there is it. Nothing much to say, but I had this in my computer for a LONG while. I hoped you enjoyed it cause I certainly liked writing it. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Here's Chapter 2! Finally done! Whoo! Please, review I'd appreciate it! **

**You know how everything goes... right? If not, it's pretty much easy to figure out. Have fun!**

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Chapter 2

'Who was that? It's not everyday you find someone who doesn't apologize for knocking another down. No matter what their status is.' Her thoughts continued to go through her head, but they soon stopped when she bumped into another man.

"Oh, pardon me. I wasn't…" She paused to look at the man she walked into. He looked at her with glaring black eyes. He wore a dark colored bandanna over his head and one sword at his side. His attire was of a normal man but to her, he looked like a bounty hunter. She froze on the spot, but he merely grunted and continued on his way. She sighed of relief and ran to find Sanji.

"Oh, it's not such a demanding job. I'd still have time to spend with you," he said, in a suave manner, holding her chin in his delicate hands. The young girl blushed, and nearly fainted. Kana, arms crossed, cleared her throat. He slowly turned around, and nervously chuckled.

"I-I was just…" he began. But, Kana interrupted by holding her finger to his lips. She leaned in and whispered slyly, "Remember, you belong to me." It was loud enough for the other women to hear as well. Sanji turned red and fell off his chair awkwardly. They girls had a laugh as Kana told him she was going for a walk.

"Such a conniving fox, she is," he muttered. She trotted off happily until she reached a dirt path that ran alongside a river. Lining the edge were cherry blossom trees, which were beginning to lose their petals. Relaxed, she decided to take this path. She watched as the petals slowly fell onto the path, or into the river.

'Such a peaceful time; the crops are plentiful, and the people happy. Curse these royal customs of my ancestors,' she thought. She ran a hand through her red and black hair, which came down a little above her shoulders. She leaned against one of the trees, and looked up at the leaves. They were oddly white this year, but it was Kana's favorite color. There was a rustle, and she turned to see a young wolf cub.

'Huh. Such a strange coloration for a wolf cub. But then again, there are many things of this world I have not seen nor dreamed of seeing,' she thought. She studied the blue and white cub for a moment before deciding on taking any action. It had a well defined snout, thin and graceful legs for a pup, and a long feathery like tail. It's ears were erect, long strands of fur sprouting from the tips.

She held out her hand while kneeling down on her knees. The little cub cautiously walked over, tripping over its own paws. It stumbled down and crashed into Kana's legs. She laughed and picked it up as it shook the dirt out of its face. She held the cub by the water's edge, and it dipped its snout in.

"A funny little creature you are," she chuckled, smiling. "All better now?" The cub nodded and was placed back on the dirt ground. Kana pet its head and thought for a second.

"How about I give a name for you?" The cub looked confused. "How about… Aoi? For your blue fur?" Aoi wagged her tail at the idea and barked. The two continued down the path, the cherry blossoms still letting their petals fall. Just as the trail turned, Aoi stopped in her tracks.

"What's wrong?" Kana asked as she turned around. Aoi's fur was standing on end and she was growling, facing the tress. Kana scrunched her eye brows and went closer to the trees. She squinted her eyes, but still didn't see anything. Then, she heard heavy breathing.

Before she could pull away, a black, clawed giant paw struck at Kana's throat. She fell to the ground, revealing a Shadow. Its panther like body with the spine showing in full detail. It had crimson claws, the same color as the webbing of its skeleton wings. Its eyes were white and empty, proving it no longer possessed a soul. It gave a blood curdling screech, so painful it almost made Kana have sympathy for it.

'Why is a shadow attacking now? It's only mid-day!' The thoughts raced in her mind until Aoi jumped and bit the hand of the Shadow. It pulled away, emitting another screech into the air. But this one sounded different from before. It was calling for help! Kana quickly got up, grabbed Aoi, and started running. She could hear the beating of its wings as it ascended into the air.

'We have to get out of here! This is way too unusual,' she frantically thought. She turned her head to see two more Shadows chasing her. When she looked forward, another one ran out from the trees. She tripped right over him, falling onto her back, Aoi growling. It stood up in front of her as the other two landed on the ground.

'I'm going to die. There's no way I can get out!' she thought. Her eyes were wide, sweat pouring down her temples. Her body trembled as she held on to Aoi. The Shadows slowly approached her, teeth bared and snarling when Aoi jumped out of Kana's hands and stood her ground. She snarled as well, also baring her teeth. The creature lifted its paw and in one swift movement, sent Aoi into the air, yelping.

"Aoi!" But just then, someone jumped up and caught her. They landed in front of Kana, their back to her. When they turned around, it was that straw hat man from before! He placed Aoi in Kana's arms and turned back. The head Shadow screeched and pounced. The man pulled back his arm and shot it back with great velocity. It flew back, its wings scratching the other two. Kanashimi didn't know if she was hallucinating, but she thought she saw his arm stretch.

"Bring it on!" the straw hat man yelled. The other two jumped at the same time, outstretching their claws. The man pulled back one leg, slammed it to the ground while turning, and swung his other leg sideways, into the jaw of one of them. They both collided, and hit the trees. All three of them disappeared, leaving the grass bare where they laid. "That's it? Man, that was boring," he whined.

'Boring? Those were Shadows, one of the most dangerous creatures in all of Raphtel! Is he crazy?' she thought, holding Aoi like a new born baby. He turned around, looking straight at her. He held out his hand, which she took, and helped her up. Kana looked worryingly at the bleeding cub. Its breath was now heavy, and the warmth of her skin was fading.

"Don't worry! Come with me!" he assured while tugging at her sleeve to have her follow him. But she fell onto one knee, wincing at the pain that somehow came to her. He looked down, the sun shadowing his eyes. He bent down and swept her up into his arms. She looked up and sharply sighed, seeing there was no choice in the matter now.

"Thanks," she whispered. He just smiled at her and trotted along the path into the forest. They were silent most of the trail until they were deep in the forest. The man was the first to speak.

"My name's Monkey D. Luffy. What's yours?" he asked. She looked at him, some of her red and black strands in her face. She tried to focus on him, but her vision was blurred for some reason unknown to her.

'Monkey D Luffy? Who names their child that?' she thought.

"I guess since you saved me. My name's Kanashimi Seishin. Kana for short," she answered, a bit anemically though. He thought for a second and he blurted out, "You have the same name as the princess! Wow. That's something you don't see everyday!" Her eyes narrowed, annoyed, as she stroked Aoi's blood soaked fur.

'He's a bit… slow in the head. But nonetheless he saved me and Aoi,' she thought. "By the way," she asked out loud, "where are you taking us?" He smiled, almost ear to ear, and placed her down in front of a murky swamp. The light couldn't even penetrate the leaves of the giant willow trees looming above the green water, which bubbled in a scary fashion. Her eyes widened.

'Where the devil has this man taken me to? A witch's lair?'

* * *

**Where HAS he taken her? Well, find out next chapter! REVIEW, please?  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**I return with Chapter 3 of My Destiny! Hey, that rhymed! XD So, we met Sanji and Luffy so far. Now to introduce another character! Enjoy!**

**" "- Dialogue**

**' '-Thoughts**

**oOoO- Scene Change**

* * *

Chapter 3

"Come on!" he persisted, gesturing her to follow. She stood there, rooted to the spot holding the bleeding pup. She looked wearily at the bubbling water and the shadows created by the willow trees.

'Is it me, or is there small a hint of decaying flesh?' she worriedly thought. Her knees gave in and she clumsily staggered forward. Luffy quickly jumped back and caught her by the shoulders before she fell.

"You're not going to get any better just standing out here. And what about your little pup there?" he questioned. She glanced down at Aoi. She was barely breathing, the blood on her fur already a dull brown. But Kana stared back at the swamp, anxious about what would happen.

"Don't worry. It's not real!" he exclaimed. She stared at him wide-eyed. What the devil was this man talking about?! Not real? She finally freed herself from her rooted position and staggered back a little.

"Explain yourself! What do you mean it's not real?" she exclaimed, clutching onto Aoi. Luffy merely laughed, and smiled again. He turned to the swamp and ran towards it, jumping from the edge. Kana yelled out, but stopped when she saw him land softly atop the water. Slowly, the image distorted and showed a beautiful scene. The sun shined through, and the vast animals that populated the forest scurried back to their homes. The air smelled clean, and fresh, different to the atmosphere just a few moments ago.

"Who's there?!" roared a great voice from out behind a gargantuan tree. The figure slowly walked out with an axe in his hand, sneering at anyone who had trespassed on his property. But, his grip loosened and his sneer became a smile. He was a tall creature, nearly a head taller than Luffy. He wore a rosy pink hat, the color of the cherry blossoms in spring. He dropped the axe and held his arms open in greeting.

"Luffy!" he called. "It's been a while since the last time we've met." Luffy ran over and gave a hug to his friend, and turned to introduce the princess.

"This is Kanashimi. She has the exact same name as the princess of the kingdom! Isn't the cool?" he exclaimed, vigorously pointing at Kana. The tall creature examined Kana until his eyes fixed on Aoi. He ran up to her, Kana startled at first, and reached out his hand to the cub. Kana protectively withdrew Aoi away and stared at the creature.

"Don't worry! He's a doctor. He can help the pup!" said Luffy, doing a handstand for no apparent reason. The princess glanced at him, then back at the so called doctor. But she had no choice, and reluctantly handed the young cub over.

"Don't worry," he said. "I would never hurt an injured one, friend or foe. That was my promise." She was surprised a bit as to how childish his voice actually sounded. But then, her knees weakened again and she fell backwards, onto the downy-like grass. Luffy ran over the peered at her from above.

"You alright there?" he asked, scratching his head beneath the straw hat. Kana nodded, not knowing what else to do. She laid there on the soft grass, her eyes tiredly drooping slightly as her vision blurred even more. Finally, she just dozed off as a muffled voice called her name.

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

Her view still blurred, Kana stared at what she thought was the sky. It was a soft blue color, and the clouds looked like the mist of crashing waves. She shifted her eyes to the left of her, turning her head slightly. She heard the sounds of glass clinking, and substances bubbling. After focusing her eyes, she propped herself up with her elbows. Sitting up straight at last, she found herself on a bed.

'Hmm… where am I?' she thought, looking around again. Her gaze landed on a small looking deer sitting on a stool. It turned around and smiled, getting off his stool to check on her. It wore the same rosy hat as the creature from before.

"Are you feeling better now?" he asked, pointing at the covers of the bed. She figured he had bandaged her in some way, so she lifted them to show her shin bandaged. Kana was silent at first, but she nodded.

"Yes. Where am I though, and who are you?" she asked, moving her legs so they hung over the edge of the bed, after the deer checked up on her. She tried to stand on her own, but as soon as she got on her feet, she just awkwardly fell back on the bed.

"You shouldn't move around yet," advised the doctor. "To answer your questions, you are in my home. My name is Chopper." Kana looked at the little deer, smiled and thanked him. He blushed and ran back away from her a little, teeth gritted and hoofs clenched a bit.

"Shut up, you!" he yelled angrily. Then he added, in a childish tone, "I don't need thanks from a human like you!" He started dancing in an odd manner as Kana stared at him, sweat falling from her forehead.

'I guess he's a little confused,' she thought. Just then Luffy came into the room from a spiraling stairway built right against the wall. He grinned widely and laughed at the sight of Chopper.

"Don't worry about that. He's just a weirdo," he commented, still laughing out loud. Kana laughed as well, stopping abruptly remembering why she was here in the first place. Luffy sensed right away what she was thinking and answered the very question.

"Come in here, Aoi!" he called towards the stairs. The young pup bound down the stairs and ran to the bed Kana was sitting on. She jumped up into her arms and licked her master's face as Luffy walked down the rest of the stairs and stood in front of the bed.

"Hey there," she laughed. Again, Kana tried getting up, actually able to stand on her feet now. But, her weak knees shook and she fell forward, into Luffy. They both fell to the ground, and Aoi jumped, sitting next to Chopper afterwards.

"You alright?" he asked, laughing still. Kana blushed slightly and pushed herself off of him. He stood up and helped her to her feet as well. He held onto her hand as she tried to walk around a little. Kana's face turned a deeper red while he held onto her hand. He noticed the color change on her face and smiled.

"Want me to let go?" he asked in a light tone. She laughed awkwardly and he loosened his grip on her hand. She was now able to stand and not wobble. Proud of this accomplishment, she began walking around herself, still a bit shaky.

"Well, now that I can walk, I think I should return home now, before my parents become worried of me," she said, making her way to the door.

"I don't think you can go alone," commented Chopper.

"He's right," added Luffy. "I'll go with you!" Kana smiled at the idea and made her way to the door, Aoi and Luffy right behind her. They walked across the small field and into the forest again. Kana looked behind her as the picture returned to that horrid scene of a swamp.

"You ever want to come back here again, just find me, kay?" he asked. Kana just smiled at him, no longer blushing that deep red.

"Oh and where would that be?" she asked. He looked at her as she was now able to see his raven, black hair protruding from his hat. His eyes were deep black as well, bottomless almost. She felt the blood rushing to her face again and limped awkwardly to make her fall down again to keep him from seeing her.

"Hey, are you sure you're ok to walk again?" he asked while pulling her up again. She laughed, and answered, "It's just this terrain. As soon as I'm on flat dirt, I'll be ok on my own." He smiled at her, noticing her light pink colored eyes.

"Anyway, I'm always out and about so I'm not that hard to miss," he finally answered. They made it out to the dirt road she started on and they said their good-byes. Aoi followed Kana when she heard footsteps running behind her. Luffy also heard it and ran back. The two runners collided right into each other.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" yelled the first runner, who was actually Sanji.

"You watch it!" Luffy yelled back. Kana stood before them both and laughed, Aoi seeming to join her as well. They looked at her oddly, and then glared back at each other before shooting up to stand.

"Who's he?" they exclaimed in unison while pointing angrily at each other.

"Well, Luffy-dono, he's my royal guard and closest friend," she answered. He stood there for a moment in thought. Suddenly he pointed at her, eyes wide and jaw dropped.

"You're the princess?"

* * *

**It was Chopper! What'd you think of how I made Luffy and Sanji meet? Anyway, I hope you enjoyed, and please review! I'd reeeeeally like it! See you next chapter! (:3)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, weird ol' Luffy's found out she's the princess. This update isn't one of the best I could do, but I didn't want to keep you guys waiting too long. It's not bad, just not the very best. Please enjoy! **

* * *

Chapter 4

Luffy sputtered and quickly bent down on one knee to bow. Then, he got down on his hands and knees to apologize.

"S-s-sorry princess for being so rude to you!" he exclaimed with his face near the dirt. She laughed from behind her hand, and bent down to help him up. He still looked flustered as she asked, "When were you rude to me?" He blinked a couple of times, held his chin in his hand thoughtfully, and looked up again.

"I don't know," he answered. They had a laughed before Sanji came over and separated the two from each other, as a protector should do.

"You will not come that close to the princess unless she says so," he warned, being quite apprehensive of anyone, especially other men, being near her. Kana placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Calm down Sanji. Nothing happened while I was gone." Again he blushed for being so overprotective.

"It's ok. I understand, it's the princess after all, right?" Luffy said, shrugging his shoulders. "Well, I'll be off now. See ya 'round, Kana!" he called as he started on his way home.

"Good bye, Luffy-dono!" she called back. Sanji watched them for a moment before reminding Kana how long she's been gone from the castle. She turned around, smiled at him, and the two began their walk back followed by Aoi. After some time, Sanji noticed she was having trouble walking and limped a bit.

"What's wrong? You seem to be limping a lot," he asked, the feeling of concern rushing into his mind again. Kana shook her head.

"I'm fine, really. Just a little tired from walking so much," she lied to keep him from persisting about it. He left it at that, knowing that she was keeping something from him anyway. He had known her way longer than that to buy a lie like that. Aoi barked as they neared the castle walls.

They reached the secret entrance into the castle and slid it over just a crack to make sure the coast was clear. They snuck in, closed the sliding door, and quickly returned to her room. Sanji collapsed on the bed as Kana snuck back into her changing room and put back on the dress she wore earlier. The pup sniffed around the room, and eventually just curled up into a ball to sleep on her bed.

"What a day," she commented as she walked out.

"Now, will you tell me what's wrong?" he asked, sitting up again. She titled her head in a confused manner and stuttered, "I-I don't know what you're talking about, Sanji-kun."

"That won't work either, now come here and tell me what you did this time," he replied. She reluctantly came over, and showed her bandaged leg. Sanji sighed, and looked into her light pink eyes. "Was it a Shadow?" She nodded, but she assured him that a skilled doctor that lived in the woods had healed her.

Despite her reasoning, Sanji went ahead and picked her up to take her to the doctor. She didn't try and struggle for she knew Sanji was very strong and would not let go no matter what.

"Your chivalry fits you as a knight, but it can be a pain sometimes…" she complained. Sanji smirked and answered with, "Well, this chivalry has saved you from trouble and your parents." She giggled as she remembered something from their childhood.

"I remember when you helped me get a piece of my birthday cake early in the morning without my parents or Zeff finding out," she commented as he nodded along in remembrance.

"What about the time when you wanted a pet dragon, which you let into the castle and you rode it around the chamber hallways?" he asked. She laughed as she remembered how that ended. The dragon had scorched Sanji when he tried to stop it from entering the kitchen.

"We've been through some tight spots before, together and alone, so you don't need to worry that much about me anymore," she said before resting her head against his chest and closing her eyes. But that was what made him feel so apprehensive when she was with other guys. They weren't going to be together for a while, at least not as close friends as before. He glanced down at her, and smiled.

'She looks so cute this way,' he thought. But he knew he'd never be able to really tell her. He was just a knight of a royal family. He opened the door to the doctor's room and placed her on the rest bed as the doctor hobbled over to her. Sanji explained that she was attacked by a shadow, and was taken to a doctor in the woods. He took off bandaging on her leg, and was surprised.

"What is it?" asked Sanji, hoping it wasn't bad. The doctor looked at him, and answered, "You say she was attacked by a shadow, yes? Well, all I see that's left is a small, small scar that's still somehow burning away. The doctor she had seen must be extremely skilled in the field of potion healing." Sanji took a look at the scar and watched in disbelief for it really was burning away. Soon, before his very eyes, it disappeared completely.

'Wow. She was telling the truth after all,' he thought. He picked her back up, and left to return to her room. She was fast asleep now, probably a side effect of the potion. Sanji listened to her steady breathing as she slept contently. He quietly opened the door to her room, placed her on the bed, and sat by the window again. Aoi woke up, and decided to sit in the sunlight, so she crawled over to the edge of the bed. The knight blew one last puff of smoke from his cigar and disposed of what was left of it.

"You can be so worrisome, you know that?" commented Kana from her bedside. Sanji turned his head, and smirked. He replied playfully, "With you, how can I not? It's surprising I haven't died of a heart attack yet." Kana merely laughed at his joke, and dozed off again when Sanji looked out the window again. His sight caught hold of a moving dot in the distance. He squinted his eyes and roughly made out a carriage coming on a trail towards the town.

"Hmm… probably another prince to greet this troublesome child. Maybe this time, he'll be able to take her off my hands," he chuckled to himself. With a sigh, he got up from the window's edge and left the room, quietly closing the door to not disturb her sleep. Kana's eyes slowly opened from the sound of the closing door, and she sat up on her bed.

'Did he really mean that?' she thought. To comfort her, Aoi pushed her little head under her master's hand. Suddenly, a different hand caught onto the outside edge of her window. Forgetting what the knight had said, she got up to see who it belonged to. She looked down the window, quickly falling back when she saw that is stretched all the way to the castle grounds.

"Rocket!" exclaimed a familiar voice. She looked up as the raven haired peasant flew into the room and, luckily, landed onto a couch in her room, making only a soft thud sound. He grinned and started laughing, shortly after having his mouth covered by Kana while she shushed him.

"Luffy!" she whispered. "What are you doing here?" she asked her voice half glad, and half serious. He quietly laughed this time and shrugged.

"I just wanted to see your castle since you're the princess and all," he answered, blushing when he realized she was in a dress. He sat upright on the couch and got up, looking around her room. He made impressed sounds, and jumped onto her bed, bouncing right back up. As he laughed, Kana remembered what she was going to ask a long while ago.

"Luffy, did you eat those cursed devil's fruit?" she asked. He laughed out a "yes" before finally calming down next to Aoi, who was wagging her tail to no end while sitting up next to him as he pet her head. Kana was about to say one other thing when the door knob turned.

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**Well, tell me what you think! Review and it will tell me what I should do to fix it, if any fixings are needed. I hope you enjoyed it, and see you next chapter!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I have returned with chapter 5! I'm sorry about the cliffie back there in Chapter 4, and for taking so long to clear it up in this chapter, but here it is anyway! I've been dead after finishing the Christmas fic, but i was still writing the ntire time. Just took forever to edit it... XD Anyway, here's the chapter and i hope you enjoy!

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Chapter 5

Luffy rolled off the bed and fell with a loud thud while Kana scrambled for a book. The door opened and revealed a tired-faced Kiplin, who was probably up last night finishing the scrolling of a new law. The loyal advisor looked about the room until he noticed the princess enjoying a good book.

"Kanashimi-sama, there is someone here to see you," he said in his unusual high pitched voice. Kana looked up from her book, smiled at him, and replied, "Alright. I'll be out in a moment. Please have them wait." Kiplin nodded respectively and left to do his order. Kana sighed in relief as Luffy's head popped up from behind the bed.

"That was close!" he said cheerfully, laughing afterwards. Aoi barked and wagged her tail again, licking him on the face. Kana softly laughed and laid her book down on a small coffee table.

"Please try to stay in my room, and also keep from making too much noise, Luffy-dono. I don't want you getting caught and thrown out of the castle," she politely pleaded. He nodded, and she smiled in relief. "You watch over him, Aoi," she added before leaving the room. The pup barked and Kana closed the door. She sighed and started down the hall towards the throne room yet again.

'Sanji… did you really mean what you said in my room? I still can't tell even after our childhood together…' she thought worriedly. She entered the room and found Sanji standing beside her father, and the visitor patiently waiting at the steps. Sanji was unhappily scrutinizing the man along with her parents. He turned around and noticed Kana looking in.

"Kana-chan, come on in," he said sweetly, motioning her to come. Smiling, she did and stood beside him, somewhat hiding from the impatient man. He turned around, saw her, and immediately had his trumpeters announce his presence.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Before you, stands the great Prince Osamu!" announced a random servant of the man. He held his head high as he proudly sauntered down the hallway, smirking at Kana. She nervously cleared her throat and Sanji gently pushed her behind him, somewhat glaring at the prince. The trumpeters finally stopped and rested while their ruler stood before the king and queen.

"Hello, Prince Osamu. A… pleasure to meet you," greeted the king hesitantly. The prince quickly bowed down in a dramatic motion.

"The pleasure… is all yours, King of Raphtel," he arrogantly remarked. The queen glanced at the king, annoyed, and sat back in her chair. The prince stood up again, and spotted Kana and her short black and red hair.

"Move, lowly knight," he demanded. Sanji nearly yelled out in anger, but Kana standing behind him reminded him it would be fine. Reluctantly, the knight moved aside to allow Prince Osamu a good view of her.

"Um… nice to meet you," she said, feeling the complete opposite. He flipped his bangs and went to flatter himself in front of everyone. The queen, annoyed with his antics, harshly said, "What is it that you want with my daughter?" The answer was obviously clear, but he answered anyway.

"I, the great Osamu, am here to ask Princess Kanashimi for her hand in marriage," he said, promptly grabbing her hand and bending down on one knee. Sanji had half a mind to kick the prince square in the face, knowing no one would mind, but that would be the same as declaring war against another nation. Kana slipped her hand out of his and held it close to her, rubbing it as if it was burnt by him.

"I-" she began, only to be interrupted by her mother.

"She will not be marrying you, Prince Osamu. Please return to wherever you are from," she sternly said, leaving Kana, the prince, and Sanji surprised.

"Oh! And why is that, Queen of Raphtel?" he asked, his pride hurt from her remark.

"You are not fit to marry her. Now leave, before I have my guards assist you," she said again, irritated. Sanji smirked at the Prince, cracking his knuckles, even though he fought with his feet. Enraged, the prince stomped his foot and turned on his heel, still holding his head high. The trumpeters played their annoying song again as he left to the door. But, before he left, he said on last thing.

"I _will_ have your daughter. You _will_ marry me, Kanashimi!" he yelled before slamming his carriage door. The trumpeters clumsily piled onto the carriage's top and the horses took off. Sanji placed a hand on Kana's shoulder and asked her if she was alright. She nodded, glancing over at her mother, receiving tea from a servant.

"Mother, you actually sent him away," she said surprised. Her mother looked over from the corner of her eye as she took a sip of the warm tea.

"Of course I did. Never in all my life have I ever met such an arrogant prince. I would never allow you to be married to him, even if the kingdom was coming to an end. You're happiness means more to me than anything else," she answered, placing the tea back onto a table. Kana hugged her mother, and went back to her room with Sanji.

"Man… I really wanted to kick that guy," grumbled Sanji. Ignoring the subject, she turned to him and asked the question that was on her mind since Sanji had left her room.

"Sanji," she said, making him turn his head, "did…did you really mean what you said about me in my room? About being glad if… another prince took me away?" she asked sadly. Sanji looked at her surprised and laughed. He patted a hand on her head, and rubbed it in a caring manner.

"Ah, come on now! You know me better than that! That guy would have to be a hell of a good man if he's going to take you out of my sight, and that's pretty hard to do!" he said, cheering her up. She hugged her childhood friend and laughed, feeling silly for worrying. The knight gently pulled her off and smiled at her, opening the door. Kana suddenly remembered Luffy was in the room, but it was already too late. She grimaced, waiting for a scold from Sanji. But, there was nothing but the sound of him laughing. She opened her eyes and saw him jumped on by Aoi.

'Thank goodness,' she thought, sighing in relief. She closed the door behind her and took a seat where she had placed her book. Sanji sat by his usual spot on the window ledge and took out a think cigar again to smoke. Kana opened up the book, laughing as she realized she was holding it upside down, even when Kiplin had entered the room. After finishing off his cigar, Sanji left the room to tend to knight related things, bidding Kana a good-bye before leaving.

"Stay out of trouble now," he playfully added before she could hit him with a pillow. He closed the door and went off to the kitchen first to talk to Zeff. She settled down on her bed, Aoi lying down next to her. As she pet the pup, a thought came to mind.

'Why hasn't Luffy come out yet…?' she thought, slowly realizing the worst. 'He's no longer in the room… that means…' A loud crash in the kitchen followed by a yell from Sanji answered the very question for her.

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** Kana just can't stay out of trouble, now can she? I don't have much to say, but I hope you enjoyed it, and please review!**


	6. Chapter 6

**After racking my brain a few times, I finally thought of something to happen in this chapter. I think it gets a little random at one point, but that's only cause I was brain tired after watching a movie with my troublesome cousins. But, I still like it overall. This won't be updated for a while since i'm so busy with school and all. Well, enough of my rambling, enjoy!

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Chapter 6

Kana got up from her bed and walked over to the door, a look of anxiety on her face. She slowly opened the door a crack and peeked out, seeing a cloud of white dust that was probably flour. She glanced down at Aoi, who was peeking with her.

"This is your entire fault you know…" she commented jokingly. Aoi lay down and covered her eyes with her paws. Kana chuckled and looked back at the white blotch on the floor. She gulped and walked over to the kitchen door. The princess found Sanji and Luffy collapsed together on the floor and covered in the flour. She covered her mouth and laughed, controlled as she could.

"Oh! Hey, Kana!" greeted Luffy as he looked up, one hand on his hat. Sanji quickly shoved him off and stood up, a grouchy look on his face. The peasant sputtered the flour from his mouth and stood up as well, dusting himself off. Aoi came over and sniffed the flour, only to end up sneezing ridiculously. Kana gently nudged her to indicate for her to return to the room. The pup did as commended while the two guys recuperated themselves.

"How do you manage to cause so much trouble in so many ways?" asked the knight, irritated while dusting himself off. Kana shrugged her shoulders while Zeff answered, "You aren't one to talk, little eggplant! You were just as much a handful as the little girl! More now, if you ask me." The knight broke out into argument with his mentor while Luffy looked around the kitchen.

"Do those two always get along this well?" asked Luffy, laughing. Kana laughed again, and nodded her head.

"This is the best they've been in an argument," she added. Luffy's stomach growled loudly, stopping the two bickering people. "I'm so hungry…" whined the straw hat boy, clutching his stomach. Sanji scoffed and left the kitchen to attend to his knightly duties, bidding them all a good-bye.

"Come on, boy. I'll make you and Kana-sama something to eat," offered Zeff in his gruff voice. Luffy whooped happily while Kana said she was alright for the time being. She led him to a nearby table and the two took a seat while the food fried on the stovetop. The aroma filled the kitchen, much to Luffy's enjoyment.

"Wow! I've never seen food look this good before!" exclaiming Luffy before diving into the food. Kana laughed, almost out of breathe, and had nervous feelings from his eating etiquette. As he gobbled down the food, Kana stared out the nearby window, noticing a little distortion in the air for a moment and then it returned to normal. Shrugging it off, thinking she just seeing things after having the potion used on her, the princess turned back to Luffy, who had surprisingly finished everything in one sitting. He patted his full stomach in satisfaction, making Kana feel a little disgusted, but she understood.

"This place is awesome! I can't wait till I stay here!" he exclaimed. Kana looked at him, confused, and tilted her head.

"Stay here? What do you mean?" she inquired. He laughed and stood up to stretch a little before explaining.

"I'm going to be the king one day. That's my goal! So, I'll be living in this castle like you are!" he explained. "I know it isn't going to be easy, but I just have to find some mythical beast to kill and people will make me the king!" Kana sat silent to this, wondering if he was really serious about this whole "becoming king" business. But, it would save her a lot of trouble in having to marry a prince. "What's your goal?" he asked, sitting back down, his body back to its lanky shape.

"My dream? Well, it's always been to serve this country and to make a different in it, of course, me being the princess and all," she shyly answered. He nodded and stood back up, walking towards the door to leave. Kana glanced after him, staying in her seat. He grabbed the doorknob and opened it, pausing as if waiting. Finally, he turned around and said, "Well, someone has to show me the way around!" He grinned as Kana got up and joined him, closing the door behind her.

'Silly girl,' thought Zeff as he cleaned up the dishes. 'Her heart is all mixed up, but she'll make a wonderful leader.' They walked down the hallway, Luffy taking in everything. They were silent the whole way around the castle until they reached her favorite spot, the garden. They walked outside and he took in the sight of everything again. Kana smiled at him for his funny antics, him grinning back at her.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

The knight grumbled to himself as he walked down the chamber to the sort of "meeting room" the castle guards had to discuss issues. Today, Sanji had no idea why they had called for him, only knowing that it was a "very important issue" that needed his judgment.

'Those idiots. Can't they make decisions for themselves?' he grumpily thought. 'Speaking of idiots, what's with that boy Luffy? I don't see why Kana enjoys being around him so much.' He stopped himself from having jealous type thoughts before continuing down the hall. He always got this way whenever a new guy was introduced into Kana's life. Maybe he was a little jealous, or just overprotective.

'I'm such an idiot, myself. Kana's 17 already; she's old enough to take care of herself,' he tried to reason. He left it at that before heaving a tired sigh and turned the corner. Then, he turned to his left and reached for the doorknob of the door. 'What other shit are they going to make me do now?' he groaned in his thoughts. He opened the door the door to find all of them talking to one another as if a meeting was already taking place without him. They silenced at once when Sanji entered the room and glanced up at him.

"So?" he asked, impatient already. "What is it that's so important?"

"Well, we need someone to choose the new recruit for the royal guard position that went empty after… that man had decided to leave," answered one of the castle guards. Sanji glared as he remembered who that man was that left, but just shook it out of him.

"Why are we dealing with this 2 years after he left?" asked Sanji, annoyed. They all shrugged their shoulders, resulting in a ticked Sanji. He gave them all a quick pummeling and asked one of them to lead them to the recruits. The two of them left the room full of the wounded, turned the corner again, and began on their way towards the courtyard in front of the castle. They passed by the door leading to the garden, which was open, and Sanji noticed Kana with Luffy in there.

"Sanji-sama?" asked the other knight as he watched him go towards the door.

"Kana-chan, would you and Luffy want to come along to pick the new royal guard?" he asked. Kana, like Sanji did, remembered the last guard as well and agreed, Luffy following along. All four of them entered the throne room, the king and queen absent from their thrones, much to the relief of Kana. They went out the front doors, and there stood a line of recruited peasants wanting to be knights. One of them was speaking rather loudly about something relating to how brave he was.

'I have a bad feeling about that one…' thought Sanji as he walked down the line. He stopped in front of the loud mouth one, the recruit immediately shutting up and trembling so much that his knees shook. Luffy laughed at him for being so scared of Sanji and decided to help Sanji by looking at the other recruits too.

"What makes you think you can be a royal guard?" asked Sanji, eyes narrowed at the boy, who was about Luffy's age. He gulped and banged a fist against his chest.

"I am the bravest of the village! I killed ten shadows single-handedly!" he announced, receiving impressed glances from the other recruits and Luffy, making Kana think back to when she first met him. Sanji rolled his eyes and was about to ask him his name when from the front gate, there burst a Shadow. It screeched and roared until its eyes fell upon Kana.

"Well, bravest of the village. Here's your chance to show us what you've got!" exclaimed Sanji as he tossed the poor peasant towards the Shadow. The boy quickly regretted telling that lie in the first place.

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**CLIFFIE!!! AGAIN!!! XDDD I bet you can guess who that poor peasant is. I really feel sorry for him... but then again i'm the writer and I can do what I want. XD Well, please review! See you guys later! **


	7. Chapter 7

**YAAAAWN Well guys, after about a week of thinking and getting distracted, I finally wrote chapter 7. Some of you might be disappointed and some of you maybe be glad, but either way, it's here and that's that. It is a bit random at one point, but it gets back on track soon enough. Well, enjoy! Oh, and congrats to those who guessed Usopp.  
**

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**Chapter 7**

The Shadow turned its attention to the scared-of-his-wits boy flying towards it. Tears of fear flowed from his eyes as he traveled through the air. The Shadow licked its lip and slowly opened its mouth, anticipating the free meal. The boy panicked and pulled out a slingshot and some ammo out of a bag by his side.

"Flashing Light Star!" he exclaimed, shooting the white colored beads at the monster. They hit the Shadow's snout, releasing a bright flash. The Shadow screeched and quickly disappeared, the small strands of black floating to the sky. The boy continued flying until he hit the gate, slowly sliding back to the ground. Kana ran down the flight of steps and rushed over to the boy while everyone blinked in awe, especially Sanji. He didn't expect the boy to live.

"Dear peasant, are you alright?" she asked, helping him up in her arms. He muttered incoherently, but quickly snapped out of it.

"Ah, Princess. I'm ok!" he exclaimed. And to prove his point, he stood right up with a fist to his chest in triumph. Kana smiled and laughed, clapping her hands. The other recruits, after seeing what they'd be in for, congratulated Usopp and quickly ran for it back to the village.

'They… they were all cowards…' thought Sanji, hunched over in disbelief. Luffy ran over to the young peasant boy and stuck out his hand in greeting.

"My name's Monkey D. Luffy! What's yours?" he asked, the boy returning the shake.

"I'm the brave Usopp, mightiest of the village!" he answered, holding his head high. Kana laughed again, and placed a hand out when he presented his. He bowed politely, and turned back to Luffy to tell him a story of his bravery. Sanji sauntered over, somewhat impressed with the boy just for not dying. Kana glanced at him, and walked over to him, smiling.

"I think he has great potential," she said to the knight, receiving a playful smirk.

"I'll be the judge of that," he answered, rubbing her head. "You, bravest of the village! Come over here!" he ordered. Usopp quickly stood at attention in front of Sanji.

"Y-y-y-y-yes s-sir?'' he stuttered, obviously afraid of the blond knight. Luffy laughed at his fear and gave him a pat, more of a punch, in the back and told him to relax. Kana giggled at Luffy's antics, Sanji already fed up with the younger kids.

"Since you're the only one here, you'll now be appointed the new royal guard. I hope you understand that a Shadow's only a small detail compared to what real dangers you'll face to protect," he paused and place a hand on Kana's shoulder, "the princess and her family." Usopp gulped and saluted in respect.

"Don't worry about me!" he exclaimed. Kana bowed and said, "I feel safer already." He sheepishly rubbed the back of his head, and laughed. Luffy motioned Usopp into the castle and the two of them ran in to explore. Sanji placed a hand on Kana's head, and she looked up, smiling.

"Just what I need: more troublesome tikes," he joked. Kana shrugged and replied, "I guess you're just good with kids like us." He blushed for some reason, and she laughed. The princess turned her head back to the clouds, admiring the clear day… until a thought struck her.

"Sanji," she said, her tone serious. He, guessing what she was thinking, sighed and looked up as well. "How could there have been a Shadow in this light? In the castle as well for that matter," she asked, still perplexed about the odd happenings with the Shadows. The knight shook his head, and sighed, replying, "I don't know what to tell you." But, in the back of his mind, there was that dark reason lurking about... the reason he vowed to keep secret. Kana shrugged her shoulders, and sighed.

"I guess that's just another problem I'll have to fix once I'm appointed to the throne," she settled. The princess shook the hand of the knight off her head and walked towards the gate, placing a delicate hand on the bars. He just stood there, observing her from a distance as he's always done before. He closed his eyes and remembered when they first met...

_Flashback_

_"Little eggplant!" There was a loud crash and the yelp of a little kid. He rubbed his head, moving his blond hair back and forth. He glared up at his peg legged mentor and yelled, "What the hell was that for, shitty geezer?" Again, he was whacked in the head with his mentor's peg leg, sending him into a bag of flour. _

_"Don't you use that language with me!" yelled the head chef. "You're lucky I only kicked you with half my strength! Now, go clean yourself up, little eggplant!" The young boy spat to the side, earning him a kick, once again, and right out the door too. His head collided with the wall and he sat up, groaning. _

_"Shitty geezer... doesn't know how to treat kids..." he grumbled. He looked down the hall and found a door with the inside lit up. 'Hmm... maybe there's some place to clean myself up in there,' he thought, never once trying to explore the castle. He wobbled over there, trying not to fall on his face, and slowly opened the door. Instead, he found an indoor garden which probably led to the courtyard. He wondered inside, looked this way and that. _

_"What is this place?" he whispered, walking backwards. Soon, he bumped into something and fell down again. "Hey, watch where-" he stopped mid sentence. There was a young girl, probably is age, looking at him with curious eyes and a small smile. He blushed and stood up, bowing politely like his mentor had taught him. The little girl giggled, and curtsied. _

_"May I please know your name?" she asked, her voice sweet, and delicate. He blushed even more, but just answered politely. _

_ "I'm Sanji. Nice to meet you," he said, sheepishly rubbing his head. _

_"I'm Kanashimi. Just call me Kana for short, and it's nice to meet you too, Sanji-san," she replied, earning a surprised look on his face. _

_"Ar-ar-aren't you the princess of this castle?!" he exclaimed. She nodded and he quickly got down on his hands and knees to apologize. "S-s-s-sorry for being rude and running into you," he said. Kana giggled, bent down, and pulled him back up. _

_"That was just an accident and when were you rude to me?" she asked. He thought a moment and replied, "I... I don't know..." Kana smiled at him and he blushed again._

_End of Flashback_

He opened his eyes when Kana turned around and smiled at her close friend, him smiling back at her. She walked back towards him and into the castle while he pulled out another thin cigar and lit it. He blew a cloud of smoke into the air, watching it fly away as Kana's footsteps faded away.

_'"S-s-s-sorry for being rude and running into you," he said. Kana giggled, bent down, and pulled him back up. _

_"That was just an accident and when were you rude to me?" she asked. He thought a moment and replied, "I... I don't know..."' _the knight played back in his mind. He chuckled to himself, thinking how naive he was then. He also remembered the exact same thing happening with Luffy back on the dirt road.

'Maybe that Luffy kid won't be so bad after all...' he thought. He left the cigar in between his teeth as he scrutinized the gate where the Shadow had appeared. His eyes widened when he noticed a young-looking maiden with black hair standing by the gate, looking in. He blushed and smiled, waving at her until he heard a yell from inside the castle walls. His eyes dropped to narrow slits as he turned around and ran inside as he thought, 'Or maybe I'm mistaken...' The young maiden watched with intuitive eyes after the knight.

'An interesting group they are. Maybe I'll learn more about them soon...'

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**Nee hee! Another cliffie! Well, it's not that bad, but it's still a cliffie. I decided to add something that connects Sanji and Luffy in similarity because... i couldn't think of anything else to write. XD Well anyway, I hope ou enjoyed the update and please review! See you guys later!**


	8. Chapter 8

**After being stuck on a ROCK OF WRITER'S BLOCK, I finally wrote a chapter for this story. This might be the only story I update today... unless I'm suddenly struck with enlightenment about the other stories... but I doubt that. A homework packed weekend ahead of me and probably rare updates if I can gather left over brain power. I think that's about it with me, but I'm sure that's all you want to read. After all, you just want to read the story! Enjoy! I apologize for any spelling/grammar errors that might appear in this chapter. I also apologize if the manner of speaking changes dramatically. . It's hard to keep it in proper English... even remotely. Ok, enough of me.**

**  
' ' - Thoughts**

**" " - Dialouge**

**_Flashback_**

**Scene changes are obvious... hopefully.  
**

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**Chapter 8**

Sanji ran in a few strides and turned a corner, only to stop suddenly because he saw the situation. Luffy and Usopp were apprehended by the castle guards; Luffy struggling to get free. The King looked annoyed as well as the Queen. He rushed up towards them, noticing Kana standing by with an amused expression, as well as one resembling a defeated look.

"Your majesty," he said when they turned their attention towards them.

"Sanji, who are they and why are they in the castle?" asked the King. "They were speaking to my daughter!" Sanji sighed, feeling older than he really was. He whispered something to the castle guards and they released the two. Luffy huffed and straightened his hat while Usopp rubbed his wrists which were now sore from the guards holding onto him.

"This is the new recruit for the royal guard that left a while ago," he said, pausing to point out Usopp. "His name is Usopp." He fidgeted a bit until he bowed respectively, and then stood to attention. The King nodded, changing his face before he turned to face Luffy.

"And this young fellow?" he asked, scrutinizing him while rubbing his white beard.

"This is my friend," answered Kana, stepping over to stand beside Luffy. "I met him a little while ago looking like he needed help. So I brought him back here! I hope that wasn't something too bad, after all I _am _supposed to care for our people, aren't I?" The princess smiled brightly at the said friend, and then at her parents.

"You didn't-" he began, only to be stopped by Usopp stepping on his foot. He held in the urge to yell out and stood still, occasionally fidgeting.

"His name is Monkey D. Luffy and he is of our townspeople," finished Sanji, giving thumbs up to Usopp from behind his back. The King nodded again and warned, "Next time, will you please inform us of new people introduced to the castle… Kana." She made a face and replied, "Why is it always me?"

"Need you to ask?" remarked Sanji, playfully. She glared at him while the King left, the Queen following shortly after looking at Luffy. After they left the hallway, Luffy yelped out over his hurt foot, and sat on the rug in the hallway.

"Don't you idiots know how to take care of yourselves?" asked Sanji to Luffy and Usopp.

"But all we did was walk in the castle," replied Usopp.

"Yeah, and I told the King and Queen that I knew Kana, and I told the King I'd be having his job soon," replied Luffy. Sanji gave him a swift kick to the head and left him lying on the floor with a lump where he was kicked. Kana helped him up and turned to Sanji.

"As long as they didn't do any permanent harm, they are fine," she reasoned with the short tempered knight. "But you two have to be more careful around the castle. People here don't exactly think highly of pheasants." Luffy dusted off his clothes and placed his straw hat back on.

"It doesn't matter to me. Just 'cause I'm poor doesn't mean I'm that much different of a person," he reasoned. Kana smiled, approving of his reasoning. She began walking another way, the group of boys standing where they were. Soon, she was gone around the corner and the three stood there in the middle of the hallway.

"Where'd the princess go?" asked Usopp, adjusting a worn out, yellow bag hanging by his side. Sanji thought a moment, and released a short sigh.

"She's just gone to read again. This is usually the time she does anyway," he answered, turning to leave as well. "Oh yeah. Usopp, come on. I'll show you to your room and introduce you to the others." Usopp obediently followed while Luffy stood by himself like an idiot.

"What am I supposed to do?" he asked, pointing at himself.

"Find something to occupy yourself as long as it doesn't have me running after you…" answered Sanji, beginning to leave with Usopp behind him. The straw hated boy's face brightened at this opportunity, but didn't have any good idea as to what to do. So, he went down the way Kana did and tried to look for her. As he walked around aimlessly, he ran into a couple of guards again.

"Hey you! What are you doing here?!" one of them yelled.

"Uh-oh. I guess I better get going now," he quickly said, dashing away. The two knights began chasing after him, no luck due to the fact that Luffy's strides were unnaturally longer.

**OoOoOoOoOoO**

"Hey, Sanji," said Usopp on their way to the main knights' room. "Who, exactly, did I replace? He sounds like a scary guy…" Sanji glanced down at him, shifted the cigar in his mouth, and blew a puff of smoke.

"He wasn't scary. He was a pain in the ass though," answered Sanji. "It's nothing you need to think about."

"Why'd he leave?" asked the newly appointed knight. Sanji looked ahead, and blanked out into another memory.

_Flashback_

"_You stupid idiot!" he exclaimed, kicking the other knight in the head. The man grouchily rubbed the sore spot and stood up from his seat, yawning. _

"_What now?" he asked; his eyes half open._

"_You know damn well what I'm talking about!" yelled Sanji. "You were supposed to be on watch!" A scream emerged from outside and the two ran towards the sound to see what was going on. _

"_Kana!" exclaimed the man who messed up on watch duty. She struggled in the grip of an unusually large Shadow. "Hang on!" The said person dashed towards the Shadow and threw a punch with all his might, causing it to screech and kick him. Sanji jumped into the air towards the monster and delivered a bone smashing kick to its jaw, where it was close to placing Kana. It dropped the princess, where she now began falling a great distance from the air. "Shit!" half yelled the knight. _

"_I've got her!" assured the other, leaping up and catching her. He landed stiffly and winced in pain, abruptly dropping Kana by accident. _

"_You're hurt!" she cried, seeing the blood flowing down his leg. She gasped and grabbed hold of her arm, she too in pain. "We have… to get you to the doctor fast…" she manged to let out before fainting from exhaustion. _

"_Kana!" yelled Sanji as he ran over. He bent down over her and glanced over at the injured man. "Oi! You got yourself hurt too?!" _

"_Don't worry about me and just get her to the doctor. I'll get there myself," he ordered. _

"_I'm not leaving you alone here! There could be more of these things!" reasoned Sanji, trying to lift the both of them up to no avail. _

"_Just go! She might not live through this, but I will! For her sake, just leave me behind!" Sanji silenced and quickly swept Kana into his arms. He glanced one last time at his injured comrade, and then turned and sprinted off to the castle. His face grimaced when he heard the other scream In pain, but his legs still carried him to the doctor's room. _

"_Hurry!" he ordered, catching the doctor off guard. "She's been bitten by a Shadow!" But, the doctor didn't need the warning for he could already see the black scar growing on her. He set to work as Sanji ran out the door, ignoring the doctor's call after him. _

'_You better be alive, you bothersome bastard!' threatened the blonde knight in thought. But, he was stopped short when he found his comrade stumbling just around the corner, breathing heavily. His blood stained the floor as he stumbled forward towards Sanji. _

"_Told you… I'd live…" he groaned with a smirk. He fell forward on Sanji, the knight grabbing his partner. _

"_I'm glad you were right for once, irrational bastard," answered Sanji. _

_**OoOEarly MorningOoO**_

_Kana was fast asleep and healing. Sanji was out at the front gates resting up after the encounter with the Shadow. His wounded friend wobbled up to him, trying to hide the pain he was getting from his leg. _

"_I'm leaving this place today. Before Kana wakes up," whispered the said man. He began making his way towards the metal gates, but he was stopped by Sanji grabbing his arm. _

"_What are you talking about? Why should you leave?" he asked. The departing man sighed, not turning his head. _

"_It's my fault we got in this dilemma. I think it's best for me to leave. I already spoke with their majesties… Tell her I said 'Good-bye.'" Sanji released his grip, knowing there was no way to reason with the stubborn man. The man left, not even turning around once to look back on the castle. _

_End Flashback_

"Sanji…?" Usopp's voice brought the blonde knight back to the present time. They stopped in the middle of the hallway during Sanji's vision of the past and Usopp has been waiting since then.

"Oh. Uh… sorry," he apologized. Usopp waved it off and replied, "It was nothing anyway. Let's just hurry up to the rooms. I'm tired after a day of hero-ing," he boasted, making the blonde knight roll his eyes. He led the way again, his mind still wandering around his memory.

"But what was he like anyway?" added Usopp in curiosity. Sanji smirked and adjusted his cigar.

"He was a irrational bastard…" Usopp was left bewildered about whether or not he was sane to continuing following his blonde knight…

* * *

**Who could that mysterious knight that left two years ago be?! Any guesses? XD Well, the flashback was sort of random, but I'll tie it to _something_. ** **I hope you enjoyed this long awaited (Yeah right) chapter, and please review! BTW, no cliffie! I think I'll try to lay off those for a while. I'm getting the taste of my own medicine from a _certain _writer I know. (You know who you are... hopefully... x3) **


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